The Lindsay Advocate - March 2024

S ES N SI ION BU IT IN ED L EN A M CI O E W SP

How to really be heard at City Hall

Women of the Ross:

Profiles of six RMH women on International Women’s Day

Midwife care is in demand

Kawartha Lakes’ Premier News Magazine • March 2024

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MARCH 2024 • VOL. 6 • ISSUE 70

The Advocate is published monthly & distributed through diverse businesses & locations throughout Kawartha Lakes & North Durham. We are a proud member of the Lindsay & District, Fenelon Falls & Bobcaygeon Chambers of Commerce.

Karen Harrison, part of the Nutrition Services team at Ross Memorial Hospital.

Photo: Sienna Frost.

Fireside Publishing House family of magazines is independent and 100% local, based in the Kawartha Region.

Publisher: Roderick Benns Editor/Business Development: Rebekah McCracken City + Online Editor: Ian McKechnie Contributing Editor: Trevor Hutchinson Contributors: Kirk Winter Ginny Colling Denise Waldron Amanda Tayles Moya Beall Richard Gauder Sharon Johnson Lisa Hart Art Direction + Design: Barton Creative Co. Christina Dedes Photographers: Sienna Frost Geoff Coleman Web Developer: Kimberly Durrant

feature 14

cover 18

feature 36

There are ways of approaching council that work, and some that don’t.

Six women at RMH and the important work they do.

Midwifery is experiencing a resurgence in Kawartha Lakes and elsewhere.

OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLOWING MATCH. OCT. 1ST TO 5TH, 2024

Printed By: Maracle Inc. Cover image: Dr. Sara-Lynn Francis — palliative physician and hospitalist.

Photo: Sienna Frost.

• every issue • letters to the editor 6 • city notes 9 • benns’ belief 11 agree to disagree 13 • KL public library feature 41

Please send editorial inquiries to Roderick Benns at roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca or by calling 705-341-1496.

Send advertising inquiries to Rebekah McCracken at rebekah@lindsayadvocate.ca or by calling 705-328-5188, or to Cara Baycroft at 905-431-4638.

PRIVACY POLICY: The Lindsay Advocate is independently owned & operated. The opinions expressed herein are the views of the contributors & do not necessarily reflect those of this magazine.

Photos, text & art work contained in The Lindsay Advocate are copyrighted & may not be published, broadcast or rewritten without the express permission of the Publisher. Liability for incorrectly displayed advertising is limited to publishing corrections or advertising credit for subsequent issues. The Publisher reserves the right to reject, revise, cancel, omit, discontinue or even decline to print advertising without reason or liability, & without notice. The Publisher has made every effort to ensure information contained herein was accurate at press time. The Publisher does not assume & hereby disclaims any liability to any party for damage, loss, or disruption caused by errors or omissions.

the sports advocate 42 • cool tips for a hot planet 47 just in time 48 • the marketplace 53 • trevor’s take 54

In 1855, The Lindsay Advocate was the very first newspaper in town. Now, 169 years later, we have been proud to carry on that tradition in our city since 2018. As your local ‘paper’ in magazine format, we are the last print news media of Kawartha Lakes, a responsibility we take seriously. Thank you for putting your trust in us as we work with you to strengthen our community.

— Roderick Benns, Publisher

“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”

— Marshall McLuhan

to the editor Advocate writer becomes Downeyville resident

honorary

Thanks very much to writer Geoff Coleman for the lovely article about our little village. (There’s something about Downeyville, February Advocate.) It’s impressive that he was able to pick up the heart of our community with a few conversations. Coleman’s writing is pristine – humour mixed with history, with a touch of social and religious commentary. I think this officially makes him an honorary Downeyvillian! Come out any time.

In Benns’ Belief, ‘Manufactured Insecurity,’ Roderick Benns’ comment about the lack of a moral framework in society that leads to financial insecurity resonated with me. In addition to his suggested focus on unions, public housing, and basic income, I can’t help but think that the decline of the trifecta of faith, family and community (that Coleman so nicely captured) has obliterated the social fabric that would result in better tax policy and wealth distribution.

I also enjoyed Trevor Hutchinson’s piece on St. Valentine in Trevor’s Take.

— Helen Scott, Downeyville

Downeyville’s pride and spirit shines through Geoff Coleman’s article (There’s something about Downeyville, Feb. Advocate) and accompanying photographs brought much bright and warm sunshine into my life, on the overcast and cold day of the arrival of the Advocate.

The writing concerning community values, and culture is welcomed news, and is no doubt enviable in the eyes of other small communities facing difficulties. For instance population loss, closing of places of worship, community halls and in some cases necessitating demolishing, or repurposing

Send us your thoughts to be featured here!

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these attractive architecture monuments.

It’s refreshing to note the pride and strong spirit of today’s population here is alive, healthy and mirrors the behaviour of the early settlers who also managed to overcome difficulties, and help each other.

Downeyville residents have invested wisely by contributing their time, talents, and resources to preserving their rich culture, deep history and are to be commended.

— Bruce Stonehouse, Lindsay

Developers should be creating gas-free communities in housing The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) recently ended subsidies to Enbridge Gas for natural gas hook-ups in new developments which would leave developers with the need to pay for any new gas hook-ups.

Aside from the fact that this is the right decision which would benefit the environment, it would, more importantly, lower energy bills for new homebuyers and for existing gas customers. If developers are required to pay for new gas hook-ups, they would instead be incentivized to create gas-free communities equipped with modern technology such as heat pumps and induction stoves which will lower homeowners’ energy bills and, at the same time, improve indoor air quality.

However, the provincial Ford government wants to legislatively reverse this decision. This is wrong. I wonder whose interests the government wants to protect. It should let the OEB decision stand. Furthermore, Kawartha Lakes Council should support the OEB decision since development is such a huge issue at present. There is no point in having Enbridge install their infrastructure in new developments if the future is not in fossil fuels but heat pumps and renewables.

— Peter Petrosoniak, Lindsay

The Advocate welcomes your letters. We do not publish anonymous letters unless it’s a matter of public importance and/or someone risks harm by writing us. We publish under strict guidelines & only if we can verify the person’s identity. Simply email roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca. Keep your letters to 200 words or less.

Future of unionism ‘insurmountable’ David Rappaport’s ‘Unions in Kawartha Lakes’ article (February Advocate) offered an interesting local perspective. Mine is more global.

Beginning with IBM Canada, I worked in the information technology industry from 1977 to 2018. From 2009, my job focused exclusively on the automotive parts manufacturing sector. As director, talent supply chain, I recruited, hired and engaged dozens of consultants.

From this experience, my life lens on unionized manufacturing labour differs from Rapaport’s. The increasing use of productivity-enhancing technology investments has been a reality for decades in competitive industries like manufacturing, whether plant workers or their unions like it. Government workplaces, on the other hand, are easy to organize because competition is not involved and budgets are guaranteed by taxation.

Rapaport’s reminiscing on the past glories of unionism in Kawartha Lakes’ non-government workplaces will not bring back the economic and political conditions of those pre-digital era days. Other than the government sector, the future of unionism in all other sectors faces insurmountable obstacles from my perspective.

— Gene Balfour, Fenelon Falls

Unions challenge gross inequality

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It comes as no surprise to me that a former Peoples Party of Canada candidate, Gene Balfour, opposes unions. However, it is somewhat ingenuous that he considers unions ‘self-serving.’ Self-serving drives the economics and the ideology of right-wing politics. Recent conservative heroes such as Milton Friedman and Ayn Rand welcome a market economy that encourages self-serving behaviour. It a superior economy, one that produces the most. So, using Balfour’s logic, score one for union supporters.

That is not the major problem with his argument. Every so often, it is helpful to ask the big question. In this case, what is the fundamental purpose of an economy? Is it to treat its many parts as private investments that can score big rewards (more than $200 billion for Elon Musk) with the right ‘bet’ or prospect and let the chips fall where they may for the casualties. Or is the purpose of our economy to produce and distribute goods and services to provide healthy and purposeful lives for as many people as possible? Is it about return on investment or is it about sustaining the many?

I can assure Balfour that there is no real threat to private ownership of the economy. However, it would be naive to believe that we have a free market with current levels of monopoly and inequality.

In the meantime, hats off to unions (and their allies) for challenging monopoly and gross inequality and for advocating a world where people can live and compete more equitably.

— David Rapaport, Lindsay

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• city notes Lindsay

Pint of Blarney in Concert Lovers of all things Irish are in for a treat when Celtic folk group Pint of Blarney puts in an appearance at Cambridge Street United Church on Friday March 15. The concert gets underway at 7 p.m. and features a cash bar. Tickets are $20 per person and are available through the church office and after Sunday morning worship services. Call (705) 324-3547 for more information.

New cartoonist joins Team Advocate Kevin Frank joins the Advocate as of this edition, a veteran illustrator who has been “creating comics and illustrations since he could hold a pencil,” according to Frank. He is the creator of the popular Scurvy Dogs early-reader graphic novels, and has freelanced for publishers including Scholastic, the Discovery Channel and Pinnguaq.

Local woman wins provincial level 4-H award Suzanne Barker, a long-time volunteer with Kawartha Lakes Haliburton 4-H Club, has won a significant award from 4H Ontario. The Arbor Award is open to those who have positively impacted 4-H in Ontario and have served the organization for more than 10 years. For Kawartha Lakes resident Barker, it has been “close to 35 years” with the organization.

“I was very excited to get the call,” she says, noting the award itself is a small metallic tree. Barker, who also lived in Marmora, launched a 4-H program there, too. Nominees for the award must have shown “significant leadership, initiative and made a positive impact on 4-H at various levels,” according to the website.

Casey’s IGA, circa 1977. Now called Foodland, the store is closing for good on March 16. Photo courtesy Kawartha Lakes Public Library.

Little Britain

Little Britain Foodland closing for good As first shared by the Advocate online, Little Britain residents will soon have to travel to Lindsay for groceries. The village’s Foodland store is closing for good as of March 16, after Sobeys, its parent corporation, decided not to renew its lease with the owner of the property. Prior to Foodland’s tenure, the store was known for decades as Casey’s IGA (and Knechtel in between) and many longtime residents hold special memories of the business at 1043 Little Britain Road. A farewell to this staple of downtown Little Britain takes place on March 2 from Noon to 4 p.m.

Swing for T.H.R.I.L at Annual Golf Tournament Therapeutic Horse Riding in Lindsay is preparing for its 10th year of providing adaptive horse-riding sessions to the Special Needs community. Volunteer training is happening now and forms can be found online at thril.ca or by emailing info@thril.ca. As a charitable organization, T.H.R.I.L needs to raise funds to cover the costs of the program so that it keep rider fees as low as possible. A fundraising golf tournament to be held on Wednesday, June 26 at the Lindsay Golf Club. More details can be found online.

Got news in your village? Email Ian McKechnie, city editor, at advocatecityeditor@gmail.com

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• benns' belief

Who will be Canada’s next female prime minister?

By Roderick Benns Publisher

It’s been more than 30 years since Canada had a female prime minister. Tory Kim Campbell only lasted 132 days in the role, as distaste for the Progressive Conservative government of the day caught up with her campaign.

As defense minister she presented Trudeau with a plan to exceed the NATO target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence. For her trouble, she was soon shuffled to the treasury board.

New Zealand has had three female leaders, as has the United Kingdom and Iceland. Finland and Switzerland have had even more. We are long overdue.

But who is most likely to succeed?

The Conservative Party is most likely the furthest away from having a female leader again, simply because the current leader, Pierre Poilievre, is new to his role and will get at least two kicks at the can to become PM. When the party is ready for a leadership review, Leslyn Lewis is the most likely female candidate to win. A lawyer, businesswoman, and a social conservative she surprised many observers with her strong performance in the 2020 leadership race. Lewis, a Black woman, has advocated for a balanced budget, lower taxes, stronger national security, and more support for families and seniors. However, she has also amplified the conspiracy theory that the World Economic Forum (WEF) is planning to subjugate humanity through a world government and has implied that the Liberal Party is controlled by it.

Chrystia Freeland is the most obvious successor of the Liberal Party. Alberta born, the current deputy prime minister and finance minister is widely seen as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s heir apparent and his most trusted ally.

As defense minister she presented Trudeau with a plan to exceed the NATO target of spending two per cent of GDP on defence. For her trouble, she was soon shuffled to the treasury board.

Incredibly, she also speaks five languages: Russian, Ukrainian, Italian, French, and English. She is also a former journalist and an expert on foreign affairs, trade, and human rights. She can be didactic in front of cameras but has won praise for her ability to handle complex issues.

Second pick: Anita Anand. Smart. Capable. It’s too bad Trudeau shuffles his cabinet as often as playing cards and can’t delegate without interfering.

Jagmeet Singh should not be going anywhere in the next election, either.

In fact, his name should go down in history as one of the fathers of Canadian healthcare for using his influence in this minority government to ensure Canada has both dental care and pharmacare as part of its universal health care system. When he does eventually step down, Leah Gazan, the MP for Winnipeg Centre in Manitoba, is a good pick. A member of the Wood Mountain Lakota Nation, she is a fighter against inequality, including in the push for a national basic income.

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• editorial •

Midwifery access should be increased Those who have experienced or witnessed a hospital birth with doctors and nurses and a birth using midwives understand the difference. The first is usually hectic and acute care oriented. The second is calm, reassuring, and comforting.

This is not to disparage doctors and nurses, who provide quality care. It’s just a reflection of how busy they are in a hospital setting. Midwives have the time and mandate to help women have the most supportive birth experience possible.

According to the Association of Ontario Midwives, approximately 18 per cent of all births in the province are attended by midwives. This is a significant number that highlights the importance of midwifery services in Ontario – and it’s a number that deserves to grow.

Midwifery services are provided by trained professionals who offer personalized care to women throughout their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. They not only work in collaboration with other healthcare providers, they also provide support for breastfeeding, mental health, and other issues that may arise during pregnancy and childbirth.

Expanding midwifery services across Ontario would have several benefits, such as increasing access to care for women in rural and remote areas. Currently, midwives practice in clinics in 100 communities across Ontario, including Kawartha Lakes. However, there are still many areas where midwifery services are not available.

We should also be graduating more midwives. As our feature story highlights, only 60 students are accepted annually by the two universities offering training in Ontario. These numbers need to grow.

The expansion of midwifery services would also help reduce healthcare costs. According to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, midwifery care is associated with lower costs compared to physician care. This is because midwives provide care focused on prevention and early intervention, which can help to reduce the need for more expensive medical procedures.

According to the Association of Ontario Midwives, midwifery care is associated with lower rates of interventions such as caesarean sections, inductions, and epidurals.

Women, their newborns and essentially the Ontario healthcare system as a whole would benefit from expanding midwifery services across the province.

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• spotlight letter •

Making Fenelon Falls bigger is not what reader wants Re: Proposed Fenelon Falls housing and commercial development attracts huge crowd, online Advocate. The stupidity of this application shows how the people of the area aren’t considered in this matter. Fenelon Fall has a permanent population of around 2,500. During the summer months the town becomes overloaded by cottagers, making driving through town almost impossible. The development suggested would more than double the population on a yearly basis. Our town cannot, without major infrastructure improvements, sustain such an influx. It would require major modification to allow for added traffic, our sewage, schools, medical, shopping and numerous other services.

Making Fenelon Falls a bigger town is not what the residents voted for in their municipal government. Giving up our peace and tranquility shouldn’t be an option to the council. Please stop this project now.

— George McNab, Fenelon Falls

Agree to Disagree Nuclear power is not an answer to our climate change challenge

The best solution to address the climate emergency is nuclear

When the former heads of the nuclear regulators from U.S., France, Germany and U.K. issue a statement on nuclear power and climate change, decision-makers should pay attention:

In God I trust, all others show me data. Does the data show we can meet global Green House Gas (GHG) reduction targets without nuclear power? No.

“The central message, repeated again and again, that a new generation of nuclear will be clean, safe, smart and cheap, is fiction. The reality is nuclear is neither clean, safe or smart; but a very complex technology with the potential to cause significant harm. Nuclear isn’t cheap, but extremely costly… not part of any feasible strategy that could counter climate change.”

But, like lemmings racing to the cliff, Premier Doug Ford’s government plunges ahead with one bad energy choice after another (fossil gas, nuclear, dirty hydrogen). But wind and solar, with energy storage, are now the cheapest and quickest to build energy systems in Canada. They have no waste and weapons proliferation issues.

Ask people living in Ignace, South Bruce – home of Bruce Nuclear – and people living along the Ottawa River how they feel about nuclear waste. And unlike nuclear plants, windmills don’t have to be guarded by SWAT Teams.

Ford’s decision to refurbish the ancient Pickering plant, through a single-sourced contract, at an undisclosed price, drives us further into an unsafe future and higher energy bills. With the growth in community population the plant would no longer meet safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Hope clings to iodine pills.

Ford also plans to build four small modular reactors (SMRs) at Darlington. SMRs aren’t the answer. NuScale, the only U.S. certified SMR, abandoned its Utah project, after costs doubled to $9 billion, despite huge government subsidies.

The project will now focus on alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar. Lesson learned?

— Moya Beall is a member of Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN! Kawartha)

Nuclear power has merits against the backdrop of climate change. Physics is about numbers, not belief. Gravity doesn’t care if you believe in it or not. The Greenhouse Effect is also physics. The sun warms the earth, some heat escapes, some gets trapped. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are like extra blankets, keeping more heat in supercharging extreme weather events.

Dr. James Hansen, a renowned NASA scientist, stressed in his 1988 testimony the urgency of climate action. We didn’t listen. Hansen’s latest analysis of global data reveals that renewables alone cannot scale up fast enough to meet global energy demands while reducing carbon emissions at the necessary pace. His data shows that multiple low GHG solutions are required, including nuclear.

Nuclear power has high energy density delivering consistent and stable electricity while cutting emissions.

Modern nuclear advancements provide enhanced safety, waste management, and fuel efficiency. Refurbishing existing plants and adopting small modular reactors is more cost-effective and quicker. They outlast renewable energy sources in lifespan.

The extreme weather of 2023, encompassing floods, wildfires, heatwaves, and storms, served as an urgent wake-up call…again. The idea of distinct ‘peeing’ and ‘non-peeing’ sections in a swimming pool is unrealistic. The Earth’s atmosphere doesn’t have separate zones either. We’re all in this together.

The good news is that there’s still time to fix climate change. We just need to stop adding extra GHG blankets, fast. Nuclear can help.

— Richard Gauder is a former member and chair of Durham Region Roundtable on Climate Change, an advisory committee that provides advice to the Region of Durham on climate change matters. He lives in Lindsay.

municipal •

Mayor Doug Elmslie.

How to make a winning deputation at city hall

By Kirk Winter

Late in 2023, I celebrated covering my 100th Kawartha Lakes council meeting either in person or via Zoom. As part of those meetings, I have seen well over 300 deputations on issues both large and small.

For those unfamiliar with what a deputation is, the clerk of council offers the opportunity for Kawartha Lakes residents to speak to council about issues that directly impact them. The deputants get five minutes to present, and then may have to answer questions from councillors looking for clarification.

As part of my job covering council, I have spoken to dozens of these individuals after the fact who are quite concerned that their entreaties did not sway council into immediate action. I listen politely to their stories, and in many cases want to tell them that their concerns fell on deaf ears because the deputations they made to council were so poorly prepared or delivered that they never really had a fighting chance.

In no particular order, here are eight tips from this veteran deputation watcher that you might want to consider before making your presentation to council.

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• Make sure the issue of concern is within municipal purview – I have seen far too many deputations, particularly those involving waterfront, docks and water pollution where the real decision makers are either the federal government or the Trent-Severn Waterway officials. The deputations should have been made to those bodies, not to the city.

• Don’t ambush your councillor with your deputation – A huge factor that increases the likelihood of your deputation being acted on is having your ward councillor on your side, well briefed and supportive of your wishes.

Hell hath no fury like a councillor embarrassed in front of their peers by a ward resident presenting a burning issue for action that the councillor was unaware of.

• Do your research – treat your deputation like a term paper or a well-crafted wedding speech. Don’t present it before it is ready. Make sure the research is focused and that you can provide council with your sources for further study. If you have put the time and effort in and council recognizes your request as reasonable and well thought out, your deputation is far more likely to be acted upon.

Council offers the opportunity for Kawartha Lakes residents to speak out.

• Five minutes means five minutes – I cringe when I see a deputant arrive with sheafs of paper, diagrams and even PowerPoint presentations more appropriate for a 60-minute committee briefing than a five-minute deputation. Mayor Doug Elmslie has often been willing to give deputants a few more minutes to finish up their presentations, but at 10 minutes the microphones are shut off. Be brief, and save your details for another time.

• Make sure your technology is working – Many deputants try to save themselves a drive into Lindsay by using Zoom without having test run the app to see if they have the software and bandwidth to make the presentation possible. I have seen a number of potential worthwhile presentations crash and burn with frozen screens and no volume. If there is any doubt and council is open to the public, come in person.

• Be nice – My great-grandfather said you could always catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Too many deputants come to council angry, embittered and frustrated. These folks are itching for a fight. They make it clear that they view council as their enemy, instead of remembering to say please and thank you and showing

some consideration for the difficult jobs councillors have. I have never seen an angry or aggressive deputant get what they asked for.

• Be nice (Part 2) – Deputations are no place for sarcasm or attempts at humour. They almost always fall flat and end up hurting the deputant and their deputation.

• Be nice (Part 3) – Do not randomly accuse council of some kind of unsubstantiated legal malfeasance. Do not threaten to call the police, integrity commissioner, ombudsman or your lawyer if your deputation does not lead to an outcome that is to your benefit. These kinds of cheap theatrics stop a deputation in its tracks and turn many on council against the deputant even if the issue is worthy of further study.

If you are one of the brave and engaged members of the body politic to make a deputation to council regarding an issue you feel passionate about, I look forward to covering your presentation. With a little planning and forethought and an elimination of the correctable errors listed above, you might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome -- and the good that you do.

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JOIN THE GROWING LIST OF SUPPORTERS! Alan Gregory Barb Taylor Bill & Heather Peter Bob & Carol Barkwell Bruce + Debbie Peck Cam Finley Catherine Hennings Christine Wilson Cordula Winkelaar David + Margaret Robertson David Holloway Deborah Smith Donna Gushue + Jim Buchanan Eileen MacDonald Elke Danziger Glenda Morris Grace King Hannah Marnoch Heather Muir Ivory Conover Jack Kyle Jane Walling Janet Smith Jean Wood Jim Buchanan Joan Shippel John + Pauline Hunter Lauren Drew Leslie King Linda Friend Lorna Green Marci Stainton Maria Bennett Marie-France Leclerc Margaret Anthony Marnie Nelles Maurice + Marie Jackson Mieke Schipper Mike & Cathy Puffer Nanci Byer Neil Campbell Nora Steffler Norman & Molly Feldman/Swan Patti Siegel Peter + Kathy Anderson Peter + Sandra MacArthur Ron + Claudie Chartrand Ross & Susan Beattie Sandra Scott Shirley Gleeson Susan Ferguson Tegan Osmond Wayne & Cathy Alldred William Steffler Zita Devan Go to lindsayadvocate.ca and choose Support Us or contact 705-341-1496 or roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca.

Thank you for your support!

April 27 - Children’s Acrylics

June 22 - Children’s Watercolour

May 25 - Children’s Wool Painting

March 23 - Landscapes with Jane Hall

April 6 - Ice Tree Sculptures

April 13 - Photography Tips for Artists

April 20 - Fusion Painting

May 4 - Abstract Watercolours

June 1 - Birds & Blooms Collage

June 8 - Pointillism

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Divya Sebastian, physiotherapist at Ross Memorial Hospital. All photos: Sienna Frost.

• cover story

Women of the Ross Shining a spotlight on six women at Ross Memorial Hospital

By Denise Waldron

Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay was established in November 1902. The hospital’s nursing team was comprised of a female superintendent, a head nurse, and four female nurses undergoing training. Today, the hospital boasts 947 active employees, with women representing 88 per cent of the workforce, alongside 125 volunteers, of whom 100 are women. Of the active physicians, 37 per cent are female.

The women of the Ross bring diverse skills, perspectives, and contributions to the hospital enriching the healthcare environment and positively impacting patient care, and overall hospital operations. On International Women’s Month, we shine a spotlight on six women, all from various positions within the hospital.

Divya Sebastian — physiotherapist Some people change careers many times, but for Divya Sebastian, she knew by Grade 12 that she wanted to be a physiotherapist.

She has worked as a physiotherapist on the medical floor and the ICU for nearly five years at RMH. On medical floors, Sebastian works with acute patients with strokes, brain injuries, pneumonia, and other conditions needing short hospital stays. On surgical floors, she works with planned surgeries like joint replacements requiring post-op rehab. In ICU, patients are more critical, requiring ventilation.

One of the Lindsay physiotherapist’s joys is seeing a patient in the ICU and then in rehab. “The patient went from basically on a ventilator to walking back home.”

Sebastian says she loves her job as she’s a people person and having the opportunity to improve the quality of life is gratifying as well.

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Dr. Sara-Lynn Francis — palliative physician and hospitalist Dr. Sara-Lynn Francis has been at RMH for nine years and highlights the intellectual challenge, collaborative teamwork, work-life balance, and human connections as appealing factors that drew her to her specialties.

As a hospitalist, Francis is part of a team that cares for inpatients who are not in intensive care, surgery or labour.

The physician shares that palliative care is a passion of hers. “I really value the connections and relationships and the ability to try to make a very hard situation as comforting and hopeful as it can be.”

Francis praises the collaborative, mutually supportive culture amongst all staff at Ross Memorial Hospital, from doctors to housekeepers, which makes it a positive workplace during ups and downs. “Everybody sort of pulls together to try to make things work.”

Francis, together with her husband Dr. Michael Francis, who is also a hospitalist at the Ross, live in the Lindsay area with their children. They have an appreciation for the outdoors, including sailing and skiing.

Richelle Moore — CPA/CGA Richelle Moore oversees the finance department at Ross Memorial Hospital, including budget preparation, financial reporting, ministry reporting, and supporting other departments. Her role also involves extensive statistics and analysis.

Moore has worked as part of the hospital finance department for four years. She enjoys working with her team and they spend personal time together as well, going for walks and hanging out as a group. “There is some fun in there as well,” said Moore.

She notes accounting is very complex and unique compared to other industries. As a self-professed numbers lover, Moore says the role is challenging but also rewarding by enabling hospital operations. “I come from a public accounting background, but hospital accounting is its own thing.”

Moore grew up on a Lindsay dairy farm. When she is not thinking about numbers, she tends a vegetable garden and enjoys propagating plants from seeds.

Cindy Bailey — environmental support service Cindy Bailey has worked at Ross Memorial Hospital for 20 years, currently in the support services department.

Her role involves responding to calls and requests, handling certain cleaning tasks, filling gaps, and generally serving as a go-to person for operational needs. She also has other tasks such as moving furniture, managing the lost and found, and linen delivery.

Bailey says her role is usually thought of as male dominated. She said women like herself show true grit in doing the job, especially to “actually prove other people wrong.” She finds the work physically demanding and enjoys helping people and keeping things running smoothly. Her passion is dancing and she can be found on occasion in an elevator busting a move while cleaning. “I’ve had the occasional visitor actually get on there and start dancing with me.”

Pat Presley — volunteer While Pat Presley shares a last name with a famous entertainer, she chuckles that she does not share his singing talent or money. But what she does have is more important — the skill and time to volunteer at Ross Memorial.

Seeking more purpose after she retired, Presley began volunteering at the hospital doing a mix of hands-on work and admin tasks. Skills honed during her previous careers enabled Presley to overhaul the hospital volunteer management system into a database, including tracking volunteer hours and information.

Presley, who lives near Rosedale, enjoys the social outlet and community connection from volunteering at the hospital. She also serves her local legion and helps with the Lindsay Fair and is the chair of the Santa Day Committee in Fenelon Falls.

Jona De La Austria — RPN Nurse Jona De La Austria lives in Lindsay, via the Philippines. A recent Canadian citizen who works in the rehab department of Ross Memorial, she came to Canada five years ago and found her first winter difficult. “I thought I’d have to go home — but I’m still here.”

Despite her first chilly, snowy winter, De La Austria loves her job, the community, and enjoys working with physiotherapists and occupational therapists on the rehab team.

The most satisfying part of her job is helping rehab patients regain mobility to return home.

At the Ross for a year, the mom of two teens enjoys biking, walking, playing guitar, singing karaoke, and being part of the local Filipino community. LA

community •

Usha Devi Ayinarappan, centre, was much-loved by children.

Photo: Sharon Johnson.

Remembering Usha Early learning facilitator was known for her gentle ways

By Sharon Johnson

If you ever sat at a child-sized playdough table with Usha at an EarlyON program, you were probably offered her justmade, still-warm, naturally-fragranced playdough. You witnessed her gentle hands separating the dough and sharing it with everyone who wanted some. You saw her direct her attention to each child, showing how she shaped and rolled the dough under her palm into a beautiful round ball.

Usha Devi Ayinarappan died in late December. She was one of those exceptional humans who got down on the floor to play with early learners and embraced the light in every child. She listened attentively and helped many caregivers work through their childrearing woes.

Through the eyes of families who attend EarlyON, early learning facilitators like Usha are esteemed as wise sages.

They have gentle advice when you’re clearly struggling. They meet children at their level and treat them as honoured guests. They sing in circles; they know how to play at all 22

developmental levels and how to share; and they know the Beanbag Boogie. They celebrate accomplishments and recognize challenges. They welcome every family that walks through their EarlyON door. They are a form of community during the isolation of early parenthood. Sometimes they feel like life savers.

Usha worked with Ontario Early Years Centre in Haliburton Victoria Brock in many of its communities, including Bobcaygeon, Dalton, Little Britain, Janetville, Lindsay, and other places, but I met Usha when she was working at the Fenelon playgroup location when it was still tucked in behind Slices N’ Scoops. Usha’s stories were my family’s introduction to Diwali, the festival of lights that symbolizes spiritual lightness over darkness. In Usha’s childhood home in Malaysia, she remembered it as a time when all families of all cultures and religions would open their doors in celebration.

When Usha came to Canada, she moved in with her sister Shanthi Howe and became a primary caregiver in the family home. She lovingly referred to the Howe children as darlings and so the family started calling her Darling instead of Usha.

Shanthi remembers her little sister as always being a caring, selfless person even as a young child. She says, “The caregiving

role seemed to come naturally to Usha.”

Usha first followed her calling to work with children by becoming an elementary teacher. She worked at a school with under-resourced students and, though she did not come from a wealthy home, she gave what she had to help the children. Parent and caregiver Lena Thompson remembers that if Usha noticed a child playing alone, she would include all the children in some play that would interest that child. If they happened to meet out in the community, Usha would always take the time to connect with her and the children in her care.

“Her smile was infectious and stayed on your face after you’d left her fantastic and attainable spell of whimsy.

Usha decided life should be magical and I followed suit. She taught me to take in the small moments with great big appreciation,” tells Rylee Rae. “I love life more because of her and I am a better parent because of her.”

One mother remembers when her children were very young and were coping with death in the family. They had been playing funeral by placing dolls in laundry baskets, laying blankets over them, pretending to mourn, and then pushing the baskets under a bed to bury them. She was worried about it and she spoke to Usha during a playgroup visit.

Usha said to her, “Death is a part of life and something we shouldn’t shelter our kids from, because life is not all rainbows and lollipops. There is heartache, and it’s okay to have your kids experience life. Play is how kids experience life and using play helps them process their emotions.”

Bett Sawyer, a caregiver of many children over the years, remembers being at an EarlyON program 13 years ago on the day Usha started working. “Usha was such a sweet person and just wonderful with the kids. She was one in a million.”

Howe learned about the value of EarlyON through conversations after work with her beloved sister over the years and now she takes her grandson to playgroup. “Because of playgroup, kids feel they belong and that they can be themselves.”

Everyone who attends EarlyON anywhere learns some version of the Sleeping Bunnies song. The little children gather in the middle of the circle-time carpet and pretend to sleep quietly while the older attendees hush “shh, shh” until the joyous singsong announcement: “Wake up sleeping bunnies hop, hop, hop!” and off the children go hopping around the carpet until they become the next animal to sleep and wake. Usha’s extra long “shhhhhhhhhhh” to provide us all with a quiet moment of stillness and reprieve resonates in the minds of caregivers who shared precious time in her presence.

Usha made a lasting positive impact on many lives. Her gentle spirit and her guidance will glow within us and in our children as we all grow.

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KAWARTHA ART GALLERY PRESENTS

PALETTE PARTNERS The Palette Partners project is part of the Kawartha Art Gallery’s ongoing efforts to support the City of Kawartha Lakes’ cultural economy It is a creative opportunity for local artists to promote their work to a wider audience, while forming connections within the larger community If you are an area business or artist interested in finding out more

Please visit kawarthagallery.com/palette-partners or call 705-324-1780

FOR THE ART IN EVERYONE

23

Celebrating International Women’s Month Every year, the Advocate observes International Women’s Day on March 8 by focusing on women’s accomplishments from various fields and domains.

This month is also an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for more gender equity and inclusion in all aspects of society.

These female business owners and entrepreneurs who chose to be profiled are doing great things in business, the non-profit sphere, and in management. We are grateful for our small business leaders, whether they are featured here or not, for being critical partners in our community. They are our neighbours, allies, and friends.

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Midwife care is growing in popularity as women look for more birthing options

By Lisa Hart

In 2023, while Ross Memorial Hospital was recording 197 births, The Midwives of Lindsay and the Lakes were attending 123 births – with a quarter of them taking place at home.

The town of Lindsay started out with one midwife in March of that year, but their team quickly began to grow. The coming year will see their ranks expand to include five registered midwives, enabling them to open a satellite office in Cannington this summer. Still, more midwives are needed to meet the demand for their services in the Kawarthas.

It is a competitive program to get into, with only 60 students accepted annually by the two universities offering training in Ontario – Toronto Metropolitan and McMaster. Students complete a four-year undergraduate degree through the Ontario Midwifery Education program. Once registered, they are required to complete a mentorship year with an experienced midwife.

In contrast to many of the health care services in Kawartha Lakes, Lindsay’s midwives have successfully attracted new professionals and convinced them to settle in our area once they finish their training.

That training encourages midwives to see pregnancy as more than a medical event requiring testing and monitoring. They learn to understand and support the bigger picture 36

that ushers in a complete change in roles for the pregnant people, and their partners if one is involved. While some may find the phrase “pregnant people” unfamiliar, a midwife will explain it is an inclusive term used to encompass transgender individuals giving birth.

Witnessing the journey from individual to parent is what truly fascinates local midwife Kirsten Schmidt. Schmidt is passionate about ensuring the process is a holistic and empowering experience. The wraparound care provided by midwives focuses on not just the physical but also the mental, social, and spiritual aspects to help clients reach their full potential as parents. Midwives help connect those without strong social support with other parents and resources to help them make this important transition in their lives.

While most clients start their care with a midwife at around 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy, care can begin at any point.

Pregnant people are encouraged to reach out regardless of due date or previous care provider.

Beyond ultrasounds, bloodwork, and other tests, midwives provide personalized care throughout the client’s birth journey. In addition to 24/7 access for urgent concerns, support during labour and catching the baby, midwives play a valuable role in education and supporting the informed decisions made by their clients.

Amie Boyd and her husband, Simon Ward, chose to have their three children using midwives.

Photo: Megan Ward.

“Each birth is totally unique and special,” says Schmidt. “When parents find their way, their strength and their voice, it is an amazing day.”

Seeing firsthand the phenomenal care her sister received from midwives during the birth of her children, Amie Boyd considered the decision to use a midwife for the delivery of her own children a “no-brainer.”

“I was so well supported in all of my pregnancies.

I never questioned my decision to have midwives.

Everything from prenatal to delivery to postnatal care was so thorough and well explained to me,” says Boyd.

All three of Boyd’s children were born under the care of a midwife, the first two at home and the last at Ross Memorial Hospital. During her last pregnancy, Boyd brought her two-year-old daughter to her monthly checkups. The midwife always included the little girl in the process, making it a special experience for mother and big sister.

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Misconceptions still exist about the possible costs associated with midwife care as well as confusion surrounding how their care compares to that of a doula. “Unlike doulas, who are a wonderful resource for pregnant people,” Schmidt explains, “midwives are primary health care providers who have been funded in Ontario by OHIP since 1994.”

Clients do not need a referral to see a midwife.

Under their care, clients can deliver at home or in the hospital, and their delivery may involve an epidural or a C-section.

“We have a fabulous working relationship with our local OB, nurses and hospital administration. They are very supportive of midwives,” says Schmidt. And when from time to time the hospital finds itself short of nursing staff, the midwives return that support by helping out with labour and delivery.

The pressures from shortfalls in health care services are most acutely felt by the midwives when

the babies reach six weeks of age. With so many individuals attempting to find a primary health care provider, it can be a struggle for parents to find a physician or nurse practitioner to take over the baby’s long-term care.

The Midwives of Lindsay and the Lakes’ website has resource pages that provide lots of general information and links to sites that the midwives love to help guide prospective parents on their way to raising happy, healthy babies.

Local midwives have also been working with pregnant homeless and substance-using women in Lindsay to ensure they, too, have the special support they need.

To celebrate the miracle of life, the local midwives are accepting donations of money, gift cards for pharmacies and grocery stores as well as gently used items for babies up to six months. All donations collected go directly to families in need within our community. LA

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Above: Lindsay Tattersall demonstrates a baby being weighed under midwife care.

Left: The Midwives of Lindsay and the Lakes offer more one-on-one support than hospital-only births. Photos: Lisa Hart.

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Don’t worry Kawartha Lakes. We’ve got you covered.

The Advocate magazine in print.

Reliable. Dependable. Professional.

WE’VE MOVED

Friend & Dobson Lindsay location and Warner & Cork have moved to 32 Cambridge Street in Lindsay, located in the Post Office building on the corner of Cambridge and Russell streets.

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Friend & Dobson’s existing Port Perry and Bobcaygeon locations will remain open.

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MIDWIVES OF LINDSAY MONARCH MIDWIVES

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF OHIP FUNDED MIDWIFERY CARE IN ONTARIO. Midwives provide holistic care through pregnancy, labour, birth, and postpartum.

41 Russell St. W., Lindsay, ON 2 Cameron St. E., Cannington www.midwivesoflindsay.ca 705-324-4664

Not the library from your childhood (but we still love doing storytime)

DISCOVER EXPLORE BE ENTERTAINED Millions of opportunities.

One exceptional library.

kawarthalakeslibrary.ca

Gear up for an action-packed March Break at your local library!

Minute To Win It Games: Challenge your skills with a variety of winter-themed games. Compete in exciting challenges like Snow Shovel Race, Snowman Stack It and more! Don’t miss out on this thrilling competition available at all branches throughout the week.

Tabletop Sports Tournament: Join us for a day of tabletop gaming at Lindsay, Fenelon, and Bobcaygeon branches. Participate in games like curling, bowling, air hockey and more.

Button Making Workshops: Get creative with our new button maker! Join us for workshops where you can design and create your own buttons at the Woodville, Norland, and Bobcaygeon branches.

Art Classes: Unleash your artistic side with art workshops led by a local art teacher.

Super Twist Balloon Performer: Prepare to be amazed by a balloon creation show at Dalton, Omemee, and Lindsay branches.

Cookie Decorating: Indulge your sweet tooth with cookie decorating sessions at various branches.

Supplies are limited, so be sure to arrive early for this delicious activity.

March Break Monsters: Join us for this fun craft event at all library branches. We’ve got a monstrous amount of craft supplies for you to make your own special creation. There’s even a prize for the best monster!

Tiny Art: Create an artistic masterpiece on a canvas so small that it fits in the palm of your hand at the Little Britain, Omemee and Kinmount branches. All paint supplies provided.

There are so many exciting programs happening at all 14 of our library branches. Visit kawarthalakeslibrary.ca for a complete list of offerings.

GRAVITY PLUMBING & HEATING

By Amanda Tayles

Inspiring local women in sports For many women, balancing motherhood and sports can be a daunting challenge. But for these three women in Kawartha Lakes, it is also a rewarding opportunity. In recognition of International Women’s Day, we are profiling some of the local athletes who are not only raising their families, but also raising the bar in their respective fields. Whether it is triathlons, mixed martial arts (MMA) or softball these women are passionate about fitness and representing their community.

Sarah Purdy Just over 10 years ago, Sarah Purdy was supporting her husband as he pushed through a triathlon competition when she started to get the itch to do one herself. The fact that she had never pursued running, swimming or biking in any capacity did not deter her from signing up for her first race in 2013. Purdy started training that year for a triathlon “sprint,” consisting of a 750-metre swim, 20 km bike ride and a five km run. After that, she was hooked and has since progressed to completing three full Ironmans – a 4 km swim, 180 km bike and a 42 km run. When training for her first race, Purdy neglected the pool, but things have certainly changed even though she claims to be “okay-ish at all three,” she focuses on “getting what needs to be done” through the competitions.

When training for an Ironman, Purdy spends upwards of 16 to 17 hours a week training in the pool, on the road and on her bike, on top of the nutrition tracking and recovery work.

This summer she’ll compete in two half Ironmans, and has her eyes set on another full next year. It’s not just a hobby for Purdy, as she supports others in pursuing the sport, being a part of the organizing committee for the upcoming Indoor Triathlon at the Lindsay Recreation Complex on March 3. The focus is on trying each discipline for a period of time instead of a set distance. This supports participants who are new to the sport, to see what they can do. The objective is the challenge, similar to any triathlon where, as Purdy says, “it’s the knowledge of having done it” that is the reward.

42

Kate Fennell Kate Fennell never thought of herself as an athlete. She didn’t play many sports as a kid in school, believing she lacked the coordination required to be successful. Then she became a mom of three, and her perspective shifted. It was a chance recommendation by a friend to try out kickboxing as a form of fitness that got her started; she didn’t look back. Though not a self-described “aggressive person,” the image one may get when they consider the sport, jujutsu and mixed martial arts (MMA) has increased not only her cardio and strength but also her confidence. Fennell has recently entered competitions to challenge

her abilities in the ring and prove to herself that she can “hold her own as a strong, capable woman.”

Fennell was at a point in her life when it can often be a challenge to even consider exploring a new sport, due to associated time commitments and the ever-present “mom guilt,” she said.

This is evident in competitions as there is often a lack of female opponents in her age category. She recognizes the tremendous amount of support from her coaches and training partners at Big Country gym. “People believing in you is so important. Like in any sport, you need that to be successful.”

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Leslie Hood Leslie Hood has always enjoyed a good game of ball, but she didn’t think it would lead to her representing Canada at some point in her life. Hood started playing at Ops in her youth, before moving onto Lindsay Lakers girls’ softball to play competitively. After returning to the area following post secondary school, she joined a ladies slo-pitch league.

Making connections with players helped to increase the competitiveness of the teams she was on and moved her up the competitive rankings.

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Recently, Hood put some of the pieces together, and formed the True North team with players from across Canada. They have since won their way into the Worlds Slopitch Championship, to be held in Barcelona March 15-17. Hood and her teammates will battle 12 other teams drawn from across North America and Europe.

Hood is cheered on by her three young daughters, two who have already followed in her footsteps and joined ball teams. As their mom tells them, “don’t ever cut sports out; you never know where you’ll end up with them!”

• community sports

NOT SURE WHAT TO COOK?

WE CAN HELP Visit our website at

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The Central Senior School girls volleyball team were victorious at a recent tournament held at L.C.V.I. in Lindsay.

and browse our selection of delicious frozen meals available to order online.

Congratulations to the Lindsay Lynx U13BB team for recently winning the Green Mountain Avalanche tournament in Vermont, U.S.

L-R: Madison Persaud 14, Olivia Tufts 16, Addison Pankhurst 14 Competition Results: Madison Persaud8th AA Level 7 Senior Division.

Olivia Tufts, All Around Champion!Level 7 Senior Division- also Vault and Balance Beam Champion Addison Pankhurst- 6th AA Level 6 Senior Division, also Vault Champion.

Both Level 6 and 7 Teams for Ontario, won 1st Place in the Team Event.

Athletes are coached by Stacey Perreault and Meghan Howe at the Lindsay Gymnastics Centre who attended the Arizona Grand Competition.

Want to be featured on our community sports page?

Contact Rebekah at rebekah@lindsayadvocate.ca

Our frozen Meals on Wheels store has something for everyone with a number of meat, vegetarian and gluten free options available to order.

Let us do the cooking.

PLACE YOUR ORDER TODAY!

705-324-7323

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Take a deep breath They give us oxygen, reduce flooding, filter water, help fill our wells, cool the air and curb climate change by storing carbon.

What’s not to like about trees?

Unfortunately, our trees and forests are under assault by bad logging, global heating, invasive insects and forest fires. And that hurts us all.

Until the early ‘90s, Canada’s trees absorbed more carbon than they released through decay, wildfires and logging. That way, they helped slow climate disruption. But not anymore.

Since 2001 they’ve emitted more planet-warming CO2 than they absorb, according to numbers crunched by climate analyst Barry Saxifrage. And during our off-the-charts forest fire season last year, they hemorrhaged more than triple the climate pollution released from burning fossil fuels in Canada.

The UN says that limiting climate devastation will be impossible without a significant role for our forests. That means ending deforestation, conserving forests, better forest management and reforestation.

Canada has work to do. We are home to 28 per cent of the world’s boreal (northern, primarily evergreen) forests. A recent five-decade review shows poor logging practices in Ontario and Quebec have devastated boreal forests, clear-cutting an area twice the size of New Brunswick.

We tend to think of rainforests as storing the most climate-warming carbon, but boreal forests hold almost double the amount stored in rainforests. And old growth trees in virgin (untouched) forests hold more carbon, are more fire resistant, and provide better habitat than newer growth trees.

We need ‘em.

But in Ontario, the forestry industry has a get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to sustainable forestry management.

The provincial government plans to almost double industrial

logging by 2030, while permanently exempting the industry from complying with the Endangered Species and Environmental Assessment acts. And Algonquin is our only provincial park that still allows logging.

German forester and author Peter Wohlleben says we need to leave our old growth forests intact, avoid clearcutting and let forests reseed themselves for best results. Where large swaths of land have been cleared, replanting with a mix of native trees is best. The forest-industry practice of planting only a couple of lumber-worthy species makes forests more prone to disease, insects, storm damage and forest fires.

We’re all members of the same family tree, so how can we protect its branches?

1.

Urge the Canadian and Ontario governments to ban logging of old growth trees, as the U.S. plans to do. Forestry experts suggest the industry instead focus on managing and harvesting from second-growth (previously logged) areas, and use selective harvesting.

2.

Support efforts to increase our tree canopy. At the very least we need to preserve what’s left, an effort being made in Kawartha Lakes with the proposed tree preservation bylaw. It may not go far enough, but it’s a start.

3.

Give a crap about bathroom tissue. We can do our little bit to protect boreal forests by buying toilet paper that does not come from virgin old growth forests. (Unless it’s from recycled paper, much of it does.) Charmin, and Costco’s Kirkland brand, both receive failing grades in The Issue with Tissue, an annual brand scorecard by the Natural Resources Defence Council. Instead look for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified products from recycled paper.

And finally, let’s all remember our roots, take a deep breath, and thank the trees.

47

and a half, winning the hearts of her pupils. “While we have not always shown appreciation of your forbearance and work by our conduct and application to our studies,” read an address presented by Effie’s students on the occasion of her departure from Dunsford, “we shall always realize that all your work has been for our upbuilding and good.”

Seeking to further her professional qualifications, Effie entered the Peterborough Normal School in 1911. Upon the completion of her coursework, she secured a position at the East City Public School in the Ashburnham neighbourhood of Peterborough. “It is a primary room, the salary good, and I think I will have a good time,” Effie wrote to her older sister, Tena – before confiding that she wasn’t sure that she would get through her Normal School exams. “I have to study for it would be dreadful if I didn’t get through after getting a place like that,” Effie told her sister worriedly.

Globetrotter: The adventurous Effie McQuarrie Five years ago in these pages the Advocate profiled half a dozen local women who made their mark in a variety of fields, but whose stories were too often excluded from official histories of the region.

This month we’ll revisit one of those women – Effie McQuarrie, who 100 years ago found herself on the opposite side of the world imparting lessons to the students of Anderson’s Bay Public School in Dunedin, New Zealand. Effie was on a teaching exchange, and her 12 months in that country stood out as a highlight in her long career as an educator that had its roots here in Kawartha Lakes.

New Zealand had yet to formally become a self-governing dominion within the British Empire when Euphemia “Effie” McQuarrie was born on April 13, 1885, the sixth of eight siblings. As a little girl attending the S.S. No. 2 schoolhouse in Argyle (and later at Lindsay Collegiate Institute), Effie would have been well-acquainted with maps in which the “British dominions beyond the seas” were coloured a bright red. Her curiosity about the wider world undoubtedly began in the classrooms of her youth, and Effie soon set her sights on becoming a teacher.

At 19 years old, Effie took up a teaching job at the old oneroom schoolhouse in Norland. After a little more than a year, she had moved on to S.S. No. 2 in Bexley and by 1909 was teaching in Dunsford. Effie remained there for a year 48

The well-travelled Effie McQuarrie poses on the Ambassador Bridge later in life. Courtesy Patty McKechnie.

Effie McQuarrie (seated on swing) enjoys a picnic in New Zealand, circa 1924. Courtesy Jane McQuarrie.

But get through her exams Effie did and remained on the teaching staff at East City through the end of 1912, when she moved to Toronto and took up a job at the McCaul Public School.

A decade after her arrival in Toronto, Effie signed up to participate in a teaching exchange program that would see her and four other Toronto-area teachers travel to New Zealand in 1923-1924.

As Dr. Benjamin Bryce, an historian at the University of British Columbia, notes in his paper Citizens of Empire: Education and Teacher Exchanges in Canada and the Commonwealth, 1910–40, these teaching exchanges were designed in a large part to cultivate and reinforce imperial citizenship. “The intention of the teacher exchanges was to send a small group of citizens of empire from one part of the British world to another,” Bryce writes. “Teachers who spent a year abroad returned to their classrooms with new perspectives on their own country and on the empire.” According to Bryce, most of the teachers who undertook these exchanges were women.

While it is difficult to ascertain just what Effie McQuarrie thought about the idea of making students become “better citizens of empire,” there can be no question that she relished the adventure abroad. Effie and her fellow teachers made stops in Hawaii and Fiji en route to New Zealand and had a rollicking good time travelling through California en route back to Canada in 1924.

In 1928, Effie began teaching Grade 7 at the King Edward Public School in downtown Toronto, and remained here through her retirement in 1947. She was an incredibly popular teacher, praised by one school inspector for her skill in “bringing real human interest into the tasks done day by day.”

Effie spent her retirement years living in Langstaff, Ontario, with her youngest brother John, a veteran of the First World War. Here, an indefatigably-energetic Effie entertained with her delectable Scotch teas (a square made from butter, brown sugar, and oats) and a dessert called blueberry grunt (a recipe in which one of Effie’s instructions apparently called for bakers to “beat the hell out of it”).

Visits with her extended family in Lindsay and area were always enjoyed by younger generations. “Aunt Ef was always a very proper lady,” remembers great-niece Roz MacQuarrie.

“She was impeccably dressed and spoke well in a quiet tone of voice. She was a person worth listening to. Maybe that’s why she was such a successful teacher. She and Uncle John would sit together on the settee in Grandpa’s living room and watch the chaos around them at Christmas.”

Effie finally relocated to Lindsay in the summer of 1967 and died on Aug. 9 of that year, aged 82. Surrounded by most of her clan, Effie’s simple headstone in the Argyle Cemetery belies the remarkable and adventurous life she lived.

— Effie McQuarrie is the author’s great-grandaunt

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MIKE GALLAGHER Business Manager

JOE REDSHAW President

A LONG AND PROUD HISTORY OF ENSURING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ITS MEMBERS, PROVIDING SKILLS TRAINING, AND NEGOTIATING INDUSTRY-LEADING WAGES, PENSIONS AND BENEFITS International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793 2245 Speers Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada L6L 6X8 Phone: 1-877-793-4863 | Website: www.iuoelocal793.org

Brand Mates Across

1 It's heard in a herd

4 ___ major blow (strike hard)

9 Charlie Brown item "eaten" by a 56-Down

by Barbara Olson © ClassiCanadian Crosswords 1

2

3

13

16 Skin products brand used by Mark Zuckerberg?

18 Cigar butt?

19 "Is there no ___ this?"

20 Hair dye that can be used as an oven cleaner?

27 Lovelace and Ronstadt

6

7

8

28

21

22

32

37

33

34

35

38

23

24

25

26

56

57

36 39

40

42

41 44

45

43 47

46

49

50

51

48

52

53 58

36 Montreal's Schwartz's, for one

12

30

29

31

32 Like a reminiscer's eyes

11

19 20

31 "Hometown Proud" supermarket

10

17

18

27

9 15

16

30 Beardless man, e.g.

37 Chocolate bar made with a sugar substitute?

5

14

13 Pop fly catcher, often 15 Adored celeb

4

59

54

60

61

63

64

65

66

62

67

41 Mexican meower

4 Rep.'s political foe

29 Be a motor-mouth

43 Rooming house with no room, in the Bible

6 Cost to run a classified

34 The beginning?

47 Said "Go, team!"

9 Ix-nay

42 "I feel the same"

5 Tarzan player Ron

7 Country singer Rimes

44 ___ show (solo act)

8 Paris's ___ Triomphe

49 Denim clothing line owned by a cake maker?

10 Swear words in church?

53 Knight's "shining" gear, to an American 54 Kin mate

58 Ginger ale brand sold at certain gas stations?

63 Prepare feverishly for a test 64 Tangled up

11 Overly

12 Edmonton CFLer

14 "Tell him ___ my love"

17 Cockpit guesstimates, for short 21 Simon & Garfunkel's "___ Rock"

65 Lip off

22 Spy grp. that works with the RCMP

67 "___ haw!" (hoedown holler)

24 Recovered from

66 Prevent, to a lawyer

Down

1 Comic actor Myers

2 Words after sleep or step 3 "The Bells ___ Mary's"

23 "Blah, blah, blah," when tripled 25 Catlike

26 Foe opposite

27 Regional jargons

28 Large, spiny lizard

• Crossword solution on page 52 •

55

33 Certain bachelor, in ads 35 Albeit

38 Oval tomato

39 ___ Bora (Afghan region) 40 Show some cheek?

45 Burglary foils

46 Fiddling emperor

48 Schindler with a list 50 Toast maker, often 51 Rivers and Jett

52 Surrealist painter Max ___ 55 Without serious thought 56 Elm, oak or alder

57 Fictional doctor's bad side 58 Windows runners

59 Chapter of history

60 Classroom aides, briefly 61 "It's ___-win situation" 62 Fist bump, in slang

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Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves Actor | Writer | Director Hey Kawartha Lakes!

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the MARKETPLACE Local Services & Offerings

FOR SALE 20’ Ocean Containers New one-trip available in Lindsay. Beige, grey or green. Extra vents for increased airflow and lock-boxes for added security. $3500.00 + Delivery Jeff 647-722-0044

SERVICES

Ken’s Computer Help 705-340-2226

Treasures on 35 Antiques. Collectibles.

Decorative.

Over 30 local vendors.

3921 Hwy 35, Cameron.

705-300-1544

McKenzie’s offers all aspects of outdoor maintenance.

-interlock -lift and re level -fencing -gutter cleaning -lawncare -snow removal Call 705-934-4333 Free estimates.

Droptine Maples Ontario maple syrup.

Available for bulk sale or by the bottle/case.

1L, 500ml, 250ml.

Call 705-879-1144

O'Reilly Plumbing 15 years experience.

Residential, commercial & agricultural plumbing.

24 hr. service.

Call Tim at 705-934-1755.

Balanceequipment@gmail.com

facebook.com/treasureson35andmore

Ready to Go 3 brown & white male Shih Tzu puppies. Home raised, vet checked, 1st needles. $750 Call 705-328-2138 or text 705-341-5281.

FOR RENT For Rent 1 and 2 bed units from $1,600 & up.

Heat, hydro & water included.

Adult Building in Lindsay.

Call 705-324-9381

Burns' Snow Removal & Lawn Care Ltd. Lanes, lots, sidewalks, sanding & salting.

Commercial & residential.

Fully insured.

Call David E. Burns 705-324-8154 Losing Heat through your Windows?

Cracked or steaming up?

May only need your glass replaced. Call Harold 705-887-6608

Obituary

Camryn’s Painting Free Quotes.

References available.

Call 705-887-8868 Residential Cleaner Experienced, Affordable, Reliable.

Monthly and bi weekly Monday cleans available.

Please call/text Rhiannon 647-705-2513 Lindsay/Surrounding area.

Ron’s Scrap Car Removal Cash paid!!

Free pick-up Call/text 705-328-4543 rrl62cars@yahoo.ca Barr Construction Ltd. Conventional & ICF basements. Residential, commercial, agricultural additions and floors.

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705-879-1144

WANTED WANTED CLASSIC & VINTAGE Cars & Trucks Please call Mark 613-360-2699 We Buy Vintage...

Vinyl Records, Comics, Costume Jewelry, Glass, China, Pottery, Toys, Sports & All Types of Collectibles. We Make House Calls Cash Paid.

Robert & Penny 705-324-2699 www.howlingdog.rocks

FALLAISE, Murray David Murray David Fallaise of Mt. Nebo Road, Omemee, Ontario, formerly of Whitby Ontario.

Beloved husband of Jo Anne (Doner), dear father of Mark (Leslie) of Lindsay, Margo (Paul Hudson) of Peterborough, Troy (Heather) of Belleville, and the late Thomas (Ingrid) of Peterborough.

Loving grandfather to 15 grandchildren and great grandfather to 21 great grandchildren.

Brother to the late John Fallaise and twin brother to Joan Goodfellow of Thornhill.

A memorial service was held at Ashburnham Funeral Home, 840 Armour Rd., Peterborough on Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 at 1:00 PM.

Contact Rebekah at rebekah@lindsayadvocate.ca or 705-328-5188

trevor's take •

The box cutter bandit

Make Your Dream Home a Reality!

By Trevor Hutchinson Contributing Editor

I had truly planned to write something pithy and humorous (well, to me at least) for this month’s edition. I ended up binge-watching some Wayne & Shuster. Their take on the assassination of Julius Caesar, ‘Get the Blood off my Toga’ skit is hilarious. Riffing on the Ides of March (which interestingly was also the day Roman’s taxes were due) was about to inspire comedic gold.

But within 12 hours, jokes that ultimately centre on someone being stabbed multiple times kind of lost their appeal when someone attempted to rob me by knifepoint in Lindsay. The attempt was unsuccessful. I received a punch in the head. Any cash I had, and my phone, remained in my possession.

The perpetrator picked the wrong guy on the wrong night. I’m old and weaker than I used to be, but I was once in the army and if I learned anything there it was how to react in a situation. It should be noted: it wasn’t a knife per se; more like the cheapest dollar store box cutter one could buy or steal.

I did not call the cops. It was dark, I had no real description, and I had suffered no loss. I was pulsating with an adrenaline I thought I had lost years ago, and if I’m honest I was in a post-traumatic situation. Also, the punch in the head (which would have been very minor to a healthy person) aggravated a pre-existing brain injury, further affecting my memory the next day. And this is meant in no way to impugn our outstanding constabulary, but my last three breakin reports were just that: reports into the data ether. One gets jaded I guess.

On the advice of counsel, all of this hypothetically happened.

54

I’m fairly positive the guy was on drugs, but that doesn’t exactly narrow things down in, well, any town or city in the world right now. I am privileged to do a bit of travelling and every town or city I have been in is affected by petty probably-drug-related crime.

The perpetrator picked the wrong guy on the wrong night. I’m old and weaker than I used to be, but I was once in the army and if I learned anything there it was how to react in a situation.

Whoever he is, I feel sorry for him and not just about his shame of a late-50s grandpa taking him to school. No doubt there have been bad decisions and defaults of character that led to this moment or his current life. But our social supports are inadequate. Our healthcare system is crumbling. Mental health resources are scarce beyond measure.

Housing is beyond impossible, even for some people with full-time jobs. Complex problems need science-based, complex and interconnected solutions.

The war on drugs is an absolute joke. It has never worked anywhere, ever. Fully legalizing and providing all drugs has helped in Portugal, for example. But that is an argument for another day.

But anyone suggesting that this can be solved by getting tougher on crime and magically increasing treatment without funding, is well, on drugs.

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705-320-9888

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